WellesleyWeston Magazine

SUMMER 2014

Launched in 2005, WellesleyWeston Magazine is a quarterly publication tailored to Wellesley and Weston residents and edited to enrich the experience of living in two of Massachusetts' most desirable communities.

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sending lighthearted texts throughout the week and passing along his
thoughts on a variety of subjects in longer emails when he wants to
call their attention to something important. During the weekends,
Henderson coaches one daughter's team, plays sports and exercises
with his girls, and stocks the refrigerator to encourage hanging out at
home with friends.
He is also careful to give the kids space when he is home. As his 16-
year-old daughter, Noelle, explains, "My mom is there when I need
advice, but when I am having a bad day, my dad can cheer me up and
doesn't have to ask a lot of questions. He just says something nice, and
leaves it alone."
David Clapham likes to connect with his kids over dinner after days
in his lab at Children's Hospital. As his wife Susan explains, "When my
husband is able to join us for dinner, the topics become much more
far-ranging than our usual casual chit-chat. He likes to quiz the kids
about geography, history, science, and teases them mercilessly when
they display an occasionally appalling lack of knowledge about the
subject. They accept it in good spirit from him, whereas if it came
from me, it would probably really hurt their feelings. When they were
younger, they all loved the gentle roughhousing and chasing he would
do; I think as teens they see his teasing as much the same thing. He
brings a playful touch to their relationships, and I think they benefit a
lot from that."
Cultural shifts and social trends will continue to shape our views of
fatherhood in the future, as they have in the past. Today there are
many ways to be a successful father and create delightful memories for
our families, whether on Father's Day or any old day.
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148-153_WWMb14_family mttrs_dad_v2_WellesleyWeston Magazine 4/28/14 12:05 PM Page 153